NEWARK
- As consumers prepare their homes for colder
weather, the Division of Consumer Affairs
is advising homeowners to be alert for chimney-related
repair scams.

Anyone
offering chimney cleaning and chimney repairs
MUST be registered as a Home Improvement
Contractor under state law. Consumers can
check whether someone is registered through
the Division of Consumer Affairs web site,
www.njconsumeraffairs.org/contractors/consumercont.htm
or by calling 1-800-242-5846
(toll-free within New Jersey).

Consumers
must be given a written contract that specifies
the work to be performed, the materials
that will be used and the total price, for
any home improvement project costing more
than $500.

“As
with any project, consumers should obtain
more than one bid. Consumers should verify
that different contractors are finding the
same type of problem when performing the
initial inspection, in addition to comparing
estimated costs,” Consumer Affairs
Director David Szuchman said.

The
Division of Consumer Affairs last year received
54 complaints related to chimney and fireplace
repairs.

Consumer
should be alert to the following scenarios
as possible scams:

Someone comes unsolicited to your home,
offers to do a free inspection of your
chimney and offers a “special deal”
to fix an alleged problem

Someone
claims to be “working in the neighborhood”
and has leftover supplies to repair your
chimney today

Someone
unwilling to show you the problem area
and explain the problem in detail

Consumers
who have limited mobility and cannot climb
ladders should be cautious about claims
of loose bricks or missing mortar if someone
goes onto their roof to inspect the chimney.

“Con
artists make bogus claims about bricks and
mortar knowing full well that some senior
citizens cannot climb a ladder and verify
the information,” Szuchman said. “That’s
why it’s important for consumers to
call registered chimney sweeps or chimney
repairers and consider all the facts in
their proposals before signing a contract.”

Consumers
also should make sure all required permits
have been issued by their municipal construction
code office prior to the contractor beginning
work.